Staff Magazine

Focus on...This issue it’s the turn of Chester

C S Cape Town Heads for the Wilderness Developing staff morale

Spotlight on... Dane the Mighty Mechanic takes centre stage

Gestation of the Athens Tour The highs and lows of getting started!

New Buses for Athens and PurfleetA behind the scenes update from Brian Longley

City Sightseeing Olympics!Olympic Medallists on Parade with CS

A touch of both nostalgia and seasonal festive feeling is provided by this picture of 384 (EU04 CZR), a Volvo B7L with Ayats O55/24F body new in September 2004 to City Sightseeing Stratford-upon-Avon (Guide Friday t/a). It was photographed on 14 December 2005, at Bridge Street, Stratford, waiting to commence a private hire duty. (Photo from the Richard Sharman collection.)

Notes from a Small Bus OperatorPeter puts pen to paper

News from the LocationsBath, Bristol, Cardiff, Chester, Cyprus, Edinburgh, Oxford, Tallinn, York

VOL12 ISS32 P308

page 2 | Issue 32

Top Deck is the staff magazine for all employees of the Ensign Group of Companies, City Sightseeing, their Franchisees, Associates and Partners. It is published three times a year. The next issue is due for publication in March-April 2009.

Editor: Richard Morgan

Associate Editor: Carole Morgan

Design: Ruth Wheeler

Printing: Blue Group We welcome your views about Top Deck. If you have any opinions on features that have appeared, or suggestions for topics you would like covered, please contact the Editor.

Back Issues: Copies of all back issues are available from the Editorial Office.

Views expressed in the pages of Top Deck are not necessarily those of the Ensign Group of Companies, City Sightseeing, their Franchisees, Associates and Partners or the Editors.

Copy Deadlines:

• Period 1: 30 January• Period 2: 30 May• Period 3: 30 September

CONTACT DETAILSEDITORIAL

Richard Morgan Carole Morgan

Hi Everyone!

The editorial office has temporarily moved to the lounge of the Waterman’s Arms in Oxford, since I am in Oxford for nine days driving the Oxford tour and there are very tight deadlines to be met! Perhaps the pint of Guinness will be inspirational!

The Twelve Olympians, in Greek mythology, were the principal gods residing atop Mount Olympus. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games. First were the Ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece. The second, known as the Modern Olympic Movement, were first held in 1896, in Athens, Greece and the Olympic Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years. Following the 2008 Beijing Olympics is was felt appropriate to have an underlying Greek theme running through this issue of Top Deck - Gestation of the Athens Tour, City Sightseeing Olympics. Ensign’s new Volvos with Optare Olympus bodywork and Norwich’s Euro 4 Olympian. Also, Connoisseurs’ Picture Page is dedicated to Leyland and Volvo Olympians.

City Sightseeing’s new website, which went live earlier this year, has been a tremendous success and is being continuously modified and updated. Have you visited and checked it out, yet? Recently added is a new Staff Area (login topdeck08), where recent issues of Top Deck may be accessed on line, and a Staff Forum is under development. Please let Mandy or me know of any ideas you may have for other useful items which might be considered for the Staff Area.

Since the last issue of Top Deck, I have managed to visit another seven locations and sample the tours. It was the turn of Manchester, Eastbourne and Brighton in the latter part of July and Leicester, Norwich, Great Yarmouth and Colchester during August. I must say what a sheer delight it was to have the opportunity to meet and chat with so many of the extended City Sightseeing family – every one of them a credit to the brand.

Please remember that Top Deck is your magazine and it would be wonderful to receive contributions from everyone! Why not put pen to paper or finger to keyboard and send something for inclusion in the next issue?

Do try the PRIZE COMPETITION and send in your entries – you could win a £20 Voucher or equivalent in your local currency.

Caz and I send Seasonal Greetings and wish all readers a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Happy touring, City Sightseeing style.

Richard Morgan (Editor)

Please send any items for inclusion to:

The Editorial Office, 14 Rosedale Close,

Sundon Park, LUTON, Beds, LU3 3AP, ENGLAND

Or email: staff10@btinternet.com

Or fax/phone: +44 (0) 1582 580159 Or to Head Office at Purfleet

Hello to everyone!

I have had a really exhausting, but

exciting time visiting Norwich and

Great Yarmouth. Both tours were

fantastic with very friendly drivers.

I loved sitting on the Elephants in Norwich,

particularly the one painted to resemble a

bus!

Onward bound to my next tour – keep your

eyes open for me!

Love Ted xx

Contents

page 3 | Issue 32

Editorial Postcard from Top Deck TedFrom the Chaiman’s DeskSteve’s MissiveNews From The LocationsConnoisseurs’ Picture Page Star Shot SurpriseNotes from a Small Bus Operator...Spotlight on (Dane Mooney - The Mighty Mechanic)

It’s On The TourFocus On(Chester - the walled city on the River Dee)

Competition TimeThoughts

page 2page 2page 3page 3page 4page 8page 11 page 16

page 25 page 26

page 30page 31

City Sightseeing OlympicsCrazy KindnessWhy the Bow Tie?York Introduces Multilingual TourDublin Goes IrishNorwich Besieged by ElephantsBath Succumbs to Swine FeverA Visit to Cape TownCS Cape Town Heads for the WildernessTop Deck Bishops New Buses for Athens and Purfleet Gestation of the Athens TourNorwich - Euro 4 Olympian

page 6page 10 page 11 page 18page 18 page 19page 19 page 20page 21 page 23page 24 page 28page 29

Steve’s Missive From the Chairman’s Desk

BouquetsObituaryWedding BellsBonnie New ArrivalsSupporting ExtrasCartoons

Family A’fares!Readers’ PastimesCS WebsiteSalvete & ValeteNotice Board

page 10page 29page 32page 9page 32page 15 & 31

page 15page 12page 32page 9page 31

Regular Features:Special Features:

Plus...

As I write this we are approaching another World Travel Market, the weather is cold and expected to get colder and the world is in financial turmoil.

Not exactly the time to talk about open top bus tours you may think.

But then - it probably is.

I am sure that WTM will prove to be interestingand bring with it many new locations and innovative ideas. Winter will pass and spring will bring with it renewed enthusiasm for the coming season. Also the financial crisis will pass, although many people will find themselves less well off than they are currently.

Our business has always been resilient in the past because people will always find new ways to enjoy a break, whatever the problems may be. Our operations are the accepted way of exploring new locations, and more travellers are using them.

2009 will be more challenging, but I am sure it will be exciting and worthwhile too.

Finally may I take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2009.

Best Wishes

I am still in shock that 2008 is nearly over. I have no idea quite where it has gone. Operationally in the United Kingdom we have suffered some poor weather throughtout the summer season, that of course had implications on the passengers carried. Added to that, a spike on

fuel prices that peaked in mid summer and now an economic slowdown. All in all it has not been a classic year, despite the efforts and hard work of so many.

That said, attention now quickly turns to the next season and the daunting realisation that it is only around 18 weeks before many of the seasonal operations start up again. There will this coming year be some exciting new tours and also the relaunch of some existing ones with some great additional routes and destinations added.

For those of you in the southern hemisphere just going into your summer, we all hope you have a successful season and are not plagued by some of the issues already mentioned.

With some very early snow having fallen in and around London already, it of course brings me on to seasonal thoughts which gives me the opportunity to wish you all, wherever you may be reading this, a very Happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Steve

News from the Locations• BathAs we approach the end of our summer season, we would like to bid farewell to our seasonal drivers, some of whom returned to us from last summer, and thank them for their hard work through the season - which at times has been very damp! We would also like to thank Becky and Chris, our pavement staff, who promote the tours and who have worked hard through the season and have returned to their respective universities. Thank you also to all the guides, old and new, who work equally as hard.

Farewell to Martin’s son, Tom, who has gone to join First Great Western as a dispatcher - well suited to Tom given his great love of trains. We wish him well in his new role.

Bath Bus Company is very proud to announce it has been nominated for the RouteOne Bus Operator Excellence Awards. The presentation evening is to be held at the National Motorcycle Museum on 5 November, so fingers crossed we will have something to celebrate!

Chris Wegg

• BristolINCREASED BUSES This year Bristol increased its number of journeys by over 32% during the high season, putting out three buses per day, giving a 30-minute frequency. Whilst not the best of weather did not bring in the number of passengers we hoped for, when the weather was great, hot and sunny we were very often operating close to capacity of 150 seats per hour. If we had not had three buses on the route, serious over loading would have occurred thereby disappointing many passengers who would have tried to join the buses or even worse being unable to collect those who had Hopped Off en-route.

FREE TRAVEL - ENGLAND WIDE A very interesting situation occurred with this previously local only free travel scheme. It generated business even though we had pulled out of the scheme! Of those locals who travelled free last season and came back to do so again the majority (exact figures not known) although disappointed not to travel free were very willing to pay the full senior rate. So much is the strength of the brand. The only ones who really suffered were those who genuinely could not afford to travel and our council is unable to provide a scheme to assist these.

Warwick Hulme

• CardiffI would like to thank Maria Kemble for all her help and support, whilst I was on maternity leave!

Also, a big thank you to all the Cardiff staff for making 2008 another successful season!

Tracey Trew

• ChesterWaiting for the off - left to right Jan Hill, Derek Marks and Brenda Ainsworth

As summer turns to autumn

and the Chester tour winds down towards the end of the season, it is gratifying to be able to report on a positive First season with many a full Top Deck load. Yes, the weather has been largely favourable and I am sure the general economic climate has worked to our advantage. All this has been the result of the efforts and hard work from the whole team - the drivers and guides to the fore, supported back-stage by allocation and engineering. Personally, it has been a pleasure to work with the tour and all the individuals involved. Thanks to everyone. In the office, Brenda and Jan have continued the valiant efforts with the guides’ rotas and seeing the buses out most mornings.

It has not quite been ALL work though. Aside from the regular guides’ social evenings (thanks for the invites - sorry I have not been able to attend on every occasion), we have enjoyed a specially arranged Ghost Tour - thanks Alan. As in past years, we provided a bus as a support-vehicle for the Countess of Chester Hospital Mid-Night Walk early in the summer, driven by Roy and Nigel M., with assistance from Brenda, Jan and Jon.

Bus 39939 had an eventful July, first over to Staffordshire to carry a party of children and dignitaries to mark the long awaited opening of James Brindley Way, that is the Tunstall Northern By-pass, James Brindley being a noted canal builder, by the way. Then the following day it was back to Chester to participate in the Lord Mayor’s Parade, which this year included the Mercian Regiment receiving the freedom of the city following tours of duty overseas. We started at Gorse Stacks, just behind the massed ranks and ended the parade at the racecourse amid a group of Civil War re-enactors.

Chester’s racecourse is an important and historic element of the city and the tour, even if the traffic congestion generated by the larger meetings creates difficulties with time keeping and diversions. The guides are kept on their toes providing a flow of relevant commentary as the buses crawl through the traffic or are diverted away from the regular route. We have also had to accommodate a fundamental change to our route due to the

Members of the band

page 4 | Issue 32

closure, for the inevitable road works, of the Old Dee Bridge, one of the only two crossings open to vehicles; such are the joys of bus operation….

Therefore, a season that started with snow over Easter ended in the warm glow of autumn tints.

Nigel Lukowski

• CyprusTalisman Coach Lines of Colchester have exported two open top double deckers to Cyprus. They travelled out to Limassol from Immingham on Monday 04 August.

The vehicles are a 1975 Leyland Atlantean, new to Colchester Borough Transport, and a 1977 Bristol VRT, new to Ribble Motor Services. Both buses were resplendently newly painted into full City Sightseeing livery and the seats re-trimmed. I hope that they will start working shortly in the resort town of Pathos.

Talisman’s former transport manager, Eddie French, now resident in Cyprus, has obtained what is probably the first granting of a PSV operators licence to a non-Cypriot. Also obtained was a road service licence.

Paul Smith

• EdinburghOFF WITH THEIR HEADS With its close proximity to Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh Dungeon has always worked closely with Edinburgh Bus Tours. The Dungeon offers a discount on tour tickets encouraging tour passengers to find out about the darker side of Edinburgh’s past.

The Edinburgh Bus Tours’ team were invited to experience the Dungeon for themselves on a familiarisation evening. Pictured is a selection of drivers, guides and ticket sellers during their eventful visit.

Elaine Green

• OxfordStuart Dudley, our supervisor, left at the end of May to pursue other interests. He was missed, not least, for his extensive knowledge of football! We are delighted one of our permanent drivers, Mick Hillsdon, was appointed in his place. His many years in the bus industry will, I am sure, stand him in good stead. It was certainly a baptism of fire for him taking over, as the height of the season was getting underway!

What a mixed summer it has been! July had to be better than 2007 with the floods, but we had rather a lot of rain in the first part of September that did not help the cause! Many of you will know of the famous St. Giles’s Fair that takes place early in September. As usual, diversions were in place for the event (all correctly registered!) but for one day of the fair, the rain never ceased which was most unfortunate.

Some staff movements have occurred with driver Jeremy Parkinson no longer being with us and our cleaner, Richard Wood, who had rejoined us earlier in the summer leaving again after some weeks. We are pleased to welcome Joao Soares as Richard’s replacement. At this time of year, we are also saying farewell to those seasonal guides who are now continuing their academic studies.

There have been a couple of social events during the summer. A very successful barbeque held at The Fishes in Botley, on one of the very few fine evenings that were suitable for such an event during this awful summer, and then a visit to the dogs at the Oxford Greyhound Track. Not many people came back from that having made a profit!

Our four ex Dublin Leyland Olympians are wired up so they can transmit taped commentaries via up to sixteen channels. So far, 11 channels have been in use, but we are close to adding Portuguese and Polish. It had been hoped to have these on stream for the summer and, indeed, they were advertised in our summer leaflet, but technical circumstances beyond our control delayed matters. We are optimistic that these new languages will be up and running very soon.

Our winter operation will remain unchanged from last year, but staff changes will mean that Messrs Marion Kosak, who joined us during the school holidays from Tappins Coaches (the part sold to Heyfordian), and Alan Skinner will stay on as drivers after the end of the summer season.

Thomas W W Knowles

• TallinnThe season was very positive, considering we had very bad weather this year - one of the worst in 10 years in regards to rain. Our total number of passengers carried was around 24,000 compared to 16,000 last year and to 8,000 in 2006. We are satisfied with the results and see even better prospects for the next year.

From summer 2008, we went multilingual on the tour with eight languages, so it is not any longer just in English. The commentary being multilingual does make a difference. It is easier to sell the product.

The quality of the tour was improved in 2008 with the purchase of two extra buses with sliding/removable roofs and multilingual systems were installed on three buses.

Lauri Truve

page 5 | Issue 32

Mick Hillsdon

News from the Locations

City Sightseeing Olympics

• YorkI suppose, like everybody else in Britain and Ireland, we have had a mixed summer - fantastic when the sun shone, but less good when, too often, we had lots of rain. Sorry, Oz, we seem to have been getting your share recently.

This year, we gave the Guide Friday livery a rest and every bus ran in the red City Sightseeing colours. Some tours had CD commentary, some multilingual and some had live guides. That has certainly worked well and our drivers, guides and street staff have performed magnificently. The multilingual tours have been well received, justifying our decision to include both Dutch and a Kids’ Commentary in the mix.

As reported last time, we are now part of the Transdev Group. We have also taken over the local bus services formerly operated (from our depot) by Veolia and this has given us a mix of tour bus and local bus work. As others will know, this is a mixed

blessing because the work is very different - a good local bus driver will not necessarily take to tour bus work and vice-versa. However, it has meant two of our seasonal staff, Gail Jordan and David Galtress, now have permanent jobs here and some tour bus drivers are busy learning local bus routes to allow maximum flexibility. We also have Driver CPC and IAM courses to fit in during the winter.

Congratulations to Gail King and Chris Jordan on their recent marriage and to Matt and Fliss Durrant on the birth of Stanley, a brother for Connie.

We hoped to beat the rest for the youngest driver competition, but Phil Embleton (22) joined us too late to qualify for the last Top Deck, and has now moved on to work for City of York Council. He has offered to come back on weekends next season, though, so you never know….

Peter Dew

• BelfastBelfast City Sightseeing had a busy September, showcasing our sporting heroes to their adoring fans. Uniquely, the Belfast franchise helped welcome home sporting champions from two

Olympic teams and also the victorious Tyrone Gaelic Football squad who triumphed in the All-Ireland final in Dublin on 21 September.

First home from Beijing with a silver medal dangling around his neck was boxer Paddy Barnes from North Belfast who was fighting for the Irish Olympic team. He was greeted by thousands of fans who followed his open top bus trip around his neighbourhood. Speaking

afterwards, Paddy remarked, ‘The open top bus ride is one of the best memories of my life. It was great to see so many familiar faces looking up at me and it meant the world to me that my own people had come out to celebrate.’

The following week, Team GB cycling hero Wendy Houvenaghel was treated to an open top bus ride around her home village in Upperlands - 50 miles from Belfast. Again, thousands welcomed home the silver medal winning athlete and thankfully the summer rain cleared just in time as the bus set off for her victory tour.

Tyrone Gaelic footballers won their third All-Ireland title on 21 September, against the mighty kingdom of Kerry. Hailed as being the game that would decide who was the team of the decade, the

northerners won by four points and sparked e n o r m o u s c e l e b r a t i o n s in Croke Park, among Tyrone folk around the world and throughout the county itself. The open top bus trip took seven hours and it was estimated

that over 50,000 lined the route to get a glimpse of the famous Sam Maguire Trophy.

All the victory trips were covered extensively in the local media and on TV and the benefit of the exposure gained was incalculable. It also acted as a reminder of the tremendous sporting pedigree that exists over here - and for such a small place, the sporting talent we continue to generate is remarkable.

George Grimley

Paddy Barnes

Wendy Houvenaghel

page 6 | Issue 32

Sam Maguire Trophy

• CardiffOlympic Gold medallists Nicole Cooke and Geraint Thomas and Silver medallist David Davies

I reached St David’s Hotel & Spa on 26 August, with the rain holding off, but very dark and dull. Much activity was going on as the welsh Olympic Team were at the hotel. I

pulled up outside with the bus to be told there was concern as only a handful of people had at that time turned out to welcome home and congratulate the team. The e x c i t e m e n t continued and as the time went on

a good crowd had formed. At 11.00 the team joined the bus. The crowd were all eager to get a glimpse and there I am with prime seat and view feeling very important indeed! (Even more so than the team, I bet. Ha ha! …Ed)

We set off; with me feeling rather worried just around the corner there would be silence as the talk was not too many people had come to show support. How wrong we were. As we turned the corner, the streets were lined full of people and cameras. The atmosphere was electric!

It was fantastic, with people waving, shouting, cars stopping and tooting their horns. What a welcome home for the team! We drove to the back of the Senydd and had to stop for a minute or two. This was my opportunity. I jumped out of my seat, apologised to everyone, who just sat stunned wondering what I was going to do, ran to the top of the stairs gave my camera to another stunned photographer and asked him to take a picture of the whole team with myself in the middle. Hence the fabulous photo that I am so

proud of. We then continued on and as I turned the corner I saw the crowd of thousands! At that point I thought, ‘O my God! What if I make a mistake now?’ Hands sweating, I did get the team safely to the Senydd, where the crowd let out a fantastic cheer - think that was for me mind!

The whole day was fantastic, shown on all the major channels including Sky and CNN. A day I will never forget. I was even invited to the after events drinks, where I met all the team personally and also had a chat and picture taken with the eventual winners of the Country’s best choir, Only Men Aloud!, which I would like to add are Welsh.

(Maria might think all the jubilation was for her, but the real star was her faithful stead – Metrobus F52 XOF. …Ed)

Maria Kemble

• EdinburghThe four Olympians on the top deck

Lothian Buses was delighted to help show off Scotland’s Olympic heroes on their return from the Beijing Olympics. Aboard the ex London Transport Routemaster,

RM1858, triple Gold Medallist, cyclist Chris Hoy, was joined by Silver Medallists, cyclist Ross Edgar, rower Katherine Grainger and canoeist David Florence. After a reception at Edinburgh Castle the successful Olympians were transported down the Royal Mile, proudly showing off their medals to the thousands who had come to cheer them on.

The bus was driven by Edinburgh Bus Tours part-time driver, Anna Burnett, Scotland’s most successful transplant athlete who has scooped more than 40 medals and seven trophies in track events at different Transplant Games, after receiving a liver transplant in 1996. Anna was chosen to

drive the bus for the victory parade because of her own success. Anna said, ‘It was fantastic. I couldn’t believe the number of people that turned up. It was really nice to meet the athletes and will inspire me in my own training.’

The Royal Mile was filled with people wanting to catch a glimpse of the four Scottish medal winning Olympians.

Elaine Green

Maria with the medallists

Maria with Only Men Aloud!

Anna in front of the bus

page 7 | Issue 32

Connoisseurs’ Picture Page

308 (E308 MSG) is Leyland Olympian ONCL10/2RZ with Alexander PO51/30D body new 4/88 to Lothian Regional Transport, as H51/30D. It is seen here in City Sightseeing Edinburgh livery on 17 December 2005. (Photo by Dave Farrier)

C147 KBT is a Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R with an Optare CO47/29F body, new 12/85 to Yorkshire Rider as 5147. It passed to York City Sightseeing via Lothian. Its roof has long since disappeared! (Photo by Dave Farrier)

A134 SMA is a Leyland Olympian ONLXB/1R with ECW O45/32F body. New in 9/83 to Crosville Motor Services (DOG 134) as H45/32F, it is seen on 13 August 2008 at the Leicester North station on the Great Central Railway, operating the Discover Leicester Tour. (Photo by Richard Morgan)

98 D 77772, a Volvo Olympian OLY-49 with Alexander PO47/25D body is pictured operating the City Sightseeing Dublin tour. It started life as H47/25D, with London United in 6/98 as their VA42, before passing to UK North as their 225. (Photo by Dave Farrier)

Bath Bus Company 248 (N548 LHG) is seen at Bath Abbey. It is a Volvo Olympian YN2RV18Z4 with a Northern Counties PO48/27D body, which was new to London Central (NV48) as H48/27D. (Photo by Dave Farrier)

H674 BNL is a Leyland Olympian ON2R50C13Z4 with Northern Counties PO47/30F body. It was photographed on Easter Tuesday, 2008 operating the City Sightseeing Newcastle Gateshead tour. It was new to Busways (674) in 1/91, subsequently passing to Stagecoach North East, who had it converted to PO in 2007. (Photo by Richard Morgan)

Perhaps our readers would like to submit photographs, preferably taken in interesting settings with happy passengers on board, together with captions, for use on this page.

page 8 | Issue 32

Louise Carter, who has been our designer for a number of years, successfully taking over the reins when Helena went on maternity leave, left us for pastures new in July.

Louise was a real asset to the team, who worked diligently and willingly often to very tight deadlines and in pressurized situations handling huge volumes of work

to produce all our brochures and timetables quickly, efficiently and professionally, along with a plethora of other items from adverts to posters to merchandise artwork and timetables. She also helped on the web site before we implemented the brand new data base driven site that we now have.

Helena, whilst doing some part time work earlier in the year and being integral in creating the new web site, is again on maternity leave having given birth to Jessie.

We have recruited two new full time design members to the team - Lisa Felstead and Ruth Wheeler.

Lisa Felstead joined us in July and is based at Purfleet as our web designer. This is Lisa’s first position after graduating from university, where she recently gained a BA (Hons) in Digital Media. She has already been working hard on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) moving us further up the Google Search results and updating the web content. This has included a fresh new Home Page and much more video content, together with

extra information pages for many locations.

Substantial work has been completed on the Members Section together with implementing a brand new Staff Section and a Staff Forum section is being developed. Lisa will continue to develop and maintain the web site and raise our profile on line while also keeping track of our statistics to see how we can achieve the best results from the site, which is already proving to be successful with visitors’ numbers / hits and sales up year on year.

Our other new recruit is Ruth Wheeler who joined us in September at the Stratford Sales & Marketing team offices. Ruth has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art and around six years’ Graphic Design experience. She has helped finish the recent winter season brochures for our year round tour locations and will also be involved in producing Top Deck, our adverts, posters, exhibition and sales support materials and such like to

provide support to the rest of the team in our sales endeavours.

Ruth, who was married just recently in October, is off on honeymoon to Venice, managing to find one location where a City Sightseeing tour would not be on the agenda!

We all wish Louise the greatest success with the new career path

she has chosen, having decided to go into a completely different field, whilst I know that her excellent design skills will always hold her in good stead. Louise is currently working on a Psychology degree and although we will stay in touch, I am hoping me, for one, and none of the sales team here will need to see Louise in a professional capacity!

I am sure we will all welcome our two new designers, who will soon become as integral members of the team, as Louise has been over the last few years.

Mandy Gaughan

Salvete & Valete (Welcome & Farewell)

Jorja Alexandra Knox was born on Wednesday 21 May 2008, at 10.00, in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, at 8 lb 0 oz to proud parents Tracey (City Sightseeing Cardiff ’s manager) and Paul – a sister for Abby, Christopher and Jamie. Ecstatic mum said, ‘It is lovely having a baby girl, but she looks nothing like me - the spitting image of her proud dad!’ All the staff at Cardiff would like to congratulate Tracey on the birth of her beautiful baby girl and are looking forward to her returning to work in October. Tracey has been working with the tour for 11 years and took over as manager four years ago.

BONNIE NEW ARRIVALS

Jessie Sara Newman was born on Wednesday 3 September 2008, at 05.32, in Basildon Hospital, Essex, at 8 lb 11 oz to proud parents Helena and Steve - a sister for Ellen Rose and a cousin for Lola and Lorna. Jessie’s arrival makes Peter, our chairman, and Jill grandparents for the fourth time and Ross and Lorraine uncle and aunt a second time. Proud dad Steve said, ‘Both mother and daughter are fine, fit and healthy. I hate to curse it but sleeping well and not crying a lot – I can only say so far so good!’

page 9 | Issue 32

Crazy KindnessI feel I should share my funny story with you all to show the dedication I have to City Sightseeing.

As everyone knows we are all a friendly bunch of drivers, guides and ticket sellers. The thirtieth of August was a rare bright sunny day and everyone was enjoying the sunshine and of course our bus tour, especially one couple. This particularly nice couple were telling us how wonderful we all were (Which we already knew – Ha! Ha!) and how much they had enjoyed travelling around on our buses. They were very over the top with their compliments which was really nice to hear. The couple told us they were travelling to Southampton to visit relatives the next day, as they left, and said their goodbyes. That should have been the end of that!

Now let me give you a little background. On 30 August Bute Place was closed to traffic, therefore a notice was put up at the Novatel Hotel bus stop to advise passengers of the nearest alternative stop. The next day, 31 August, I arrived at the depot and told the drivers I would drive in my car to Bute Place to see if the road was now clear and then meet them at the castle to let them know the situation. As I arrived at Bute Place I could see the road ahead was closed, therefore remembering on the notice the day before I had stated the date, I turned my car around to head down to the Novatel bus stop. As I was turning my car my mobile phone starts ringing and with no hands-free kit I was unable to answer. So, I pulled over and returned the call. I then heard ‘Hi yah! Maria how are you? I'm at Novatel. Is the stop in use?’ I registered the voice as our guide Bernard who lives near the Novatel, I went on to explain to him the road was still closed and that I had to change the date on the notice at the bus stop so to wait for me and it would be no bother to pick him up and take him to the castle to be ready to start his tour at 10.30. He was over the moon with this suggestion, asking over and over 'Are you sure? This is so kind.’

I put the phone down quite confused, why would he think it was so good of me to pick him up as I had to change the date? Then a sudden thought! Was it Bernard? I pulled over again and listened to the voice message that had been left. What a relief, it was Bernard! Driving and happily singing along to the CD I pulled up to the stop and to my complete horror out emerges this 6 ft 4 in man and his wife - the couple from the previous day! I died, looking at my kiddy-trashed car, accompanied by a dish left over from last night's supper my husband had eaten on our way to a party straight from work the previous night! Plus hair - lots of hair from our two big malamute dogs! I hurried out of the car, grabbing everything and trying my best to get it all into the boot! Not much luck. They saw it all. Yuk! They were in awe saying over and over ‘How wonderful you would do this for us. We have never been treated so well.’ They kept on over and over repeatedly. All I could think was ‘HOW CRAZY AM I?’ I must not let anyone find out. I am now touting for passengers picking them up at the stops! So, I decided to drop them off around the corner from the castle, a two minute walk away, so the drivers would not ask why they were in MY CAR! I gave them the excuse I had to park.

When I got to the bus the lady produced a box of cakes saying, ‘Thank you.’ I could not get them up the stairs quick enough, as I did not want them telling what had happened. Phew! I had done it. My crazy secret passenger tout was hidden. Well that was until I received an e-mail, forwarded by Mandy at Stratford, from this couple saying I had picked them up from a bus stop. So, I had to come clean and tell my side of the story.

Thus you have it. I think I well and truly deserve to be employee of the month! Don’t you?

(Well, Maria, we can do better and make you the subject of our Star Shot Surprise this issue! …Ed)

Maria Kemble

BouquetsSent: Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Subject: Your helpful staff, Bath

To whom it may concern.

I just wanted to say how pleased we were with your staff.

My mother lost her earring after an open top bus ride a

few weeks ago. If it wasn’t for the help of Mike the driver,

Tom at HO and Merlin (Dave) at HO she would never have

had it returned. Each one of them went far above their job

description to rescue the lost earring.

Although I have already spoken to the manager and sang

their praises, I just wanted this email to be printed off and

put in each of their files as a record of their efforts.

Thank you to all of them!

Mrs S Miles

Brentwood, Essex and

Mrs G Rostad

Washington, D.C.

page 10 | Issue 32

Sent: 23 September 2008

Subject: Glasgow

Just to say I have experienced my first sightseeing tour (in Glasgow) and I was amazed at the smooth way they handled everything. I am permanently in a wheelchair but they made it so easy for me with the on board ramp access. And the driver was a lady! What a wonderful idea this is, and I shall certainly look out for City Sightseeing tours wherever I go in future. Well done everybody.

Ken RobertsBournemouth

Peter Been meaning to tell you (but, of course I have notseen you for some months), friends and I had a very good experience using your City Sightseeing franchise in Washington DC back in April. I also tried your red open-top competitor there and was not so impressed. Will tell you more when I see you.

Shall try the San Diego one when I am there in late September/early October and will report to you at the 15 October ALBUM MDs’ meeting!

Kind regardsJohn Owen

(John was formerly Managing Director at Thamesdown. He has kindly written an article on his experiences in Washington DC and San Diego for the next issue of TOP DECK … Ed)

This issue it is the turn of Maria Kemble, aged 20 x 2 years, who has been driving PCVs for 18 years and has been with the Cardiff tour for 11 seasons. Maria said, ‘I like talking, talking and let me think, yes more talking!’ She is married to Paul and has two children, Charlotte and Zach.

Maria started driving buses with Cardiff Bus and stayed with them for seven years. After a break to look after her children, she joined Guide Friday on The Cardiff Tour as a part time driver, but showed very quickly that she could play a big part in the running of the tour and has been Cardiff supervisor for the past three years.

While Tracey was on maternity leave, Maria took over the reins for the 2008 season and made an excellent job of keeping everything running smoothly - well, when she was able to, since we all know how temperamental buses can be!

When Maria says she likes to talk, talk and talk some more, this is so true. Just ask any of the Cardiff staff! But in City Sightseeing’s line of work, talking a lot is very much a blessing and definitely not a hindrance!

We will let Maria have the last word, words and more words! ‘Hi! I did it! Completed all 13 miles! Really pleased with myself. Very emotional. Was b***dy hard work, but I was determined to finish. My finish time was two hours and 46 minutes. Well chuffed!’

(Maria participated in the Cardiff Half Marathon on Sunday 19 October and raised nearly £500 for the Joshua Foundation (Motto: ‘Making a life experience for children with Terminal Cancer’), in memory of a special young lady, Fiona Cottnam. …Ed)

Just for those who saw my short mention in the edito-rial of issue 31 of Top Deck and wondered quite why I wear a City Sightseeing bow tie, here is the story as I remember it.

Cast your mind back to the late spring - early summer of 2006 when we did have more than four consecutive days of sunshine here in Cambridge. Some of us found it necessary to loosen our collars and even remove our ties! Upon return to our depot in Ely, we were hauled over hot coals by our manager at that time Andy Rickwood - later to go on to higher and greater things in Stagecoach Bus UK and the rail service, but enough of that. Whilst chatting outside in the car park, a few other drivers and I were planning some sort of revenge, but alas could not really think of anything particularly clever. I, however, did say some-where in my wardrobe I had a black velvet bow tie from some time in my youth, when I played in a band, and could see no rea-son why one of my City Sightseeing ties could not be butchered and modified.

Yes it did work and Mr Rickwood gave me one of those 007 James Bond raised eyebrow glances. The bow tie kind of became my trade mark and the rest, as you say, is history. It should be mentioned the bow tie is always a good conversation piece and helps to start customers talking to me before enticing them on to the bus! I usually wear it during winter as it tends to leave the front of my shirt vulnerable to tea and coffee spills in the summer, when not wearing a fleece or jacket.

Before you ask the more popular questions, I can say it does not spin, have flashing lights or play silly tunes

Steve Venables

Why the Bow Tie?

Star Shot Surprise

page 11 | Issue 32

Io ho sempre praticato sport, fin da bambina. Il mio carattere all’inizio timido, ha spinto i miei genitori ad iscrivermi a basket, sport che si praticava presso la scuola elementare dove ero iscritta. Così è nata la passione per questa grande attività. I miei idoli dell’infanzia sono stati, e lo sono ancora oggi, Michael Johnson e Karim Abdul Jabbar, i mitici del L.A. Lakers.

Grazie ad una mia insegnante delle scuole medie, che è stata campionessa italiana dei 100 m., ho avvicinato alla passione per il basket quella per l’atletica leggera. Lei mi ha suggerito e poi allenato a questa disciplina fino a quando sono arrivati i risultati e sono diventata campionessa regionale degli 80 e 100 m. Nonostante riuscissi meglio nella corsa e considerata la mia minuta statura ho continuato comunque a frequentare le palestre di basket.

Ancora oggi la passione per la pallacanestro e l’atletica è sempre viva anche se il basket l’ho lasciato verso i 18 anni proprio nel momento in cui raggiunsi la promozione in 1° divisione con la squadra con la quale giocavo in quegli anni.

Successivamente le più grandi soddisfazioni nel mondo della pallacanestro sono arrivate trasmettendo la bellezza di questo gioco agli altri. L’ entusiasmo e lo spirito di squadra di questo sport mi hanno aiutato a coinvolgere il gruppo scout del quale ho fatto parte fino a 25 anni. Ad oggi anche se non frequento più i campi di basket e mi capita sempre più raramente di tirare un pallone al canestro, lo sport resta uno dei piaceri più intensi.

Per questo faccio ancora attività fisica in palestra non soltanto per una questione di benessere fisico ma soprattutto per la sensazione di relax che mi trasmette a livello mentale. In palestra vado a scaricare le tensioni di una giornata di lavoro, facendomi trasportare dalla musica latino-americana (adoro ballare) oppure correndo; a questo a fine giornata abbino sempre un buon libro da leggere, così l’allenamento può dirsi completo.

I have always played a lot of sport since I was a child. Since I was a shy girl, my parents encouraged me to play basketball in the school team when I was attending the elementary school. So I became involved in this sport as a school girl and soon developed a deep passion for it. My idols were, and still are, Michael Johnson, Karim Abdul Jabbar and the fabulous L.A. Lakers.

Thanks to one of my middle school teachers, who was a 100 metres Italian champion, I also developed a keen interest in athletics. She trained me for this sport and I finally achieved great results when I became the regional 80-100 metres champion. I was more successful in athletics than in basketball and I was not very tall, nevertheless I kept on going to the gym and playing basketball.

I gave up playing basketball when I was 18 years old, after the promotion of my team to the 1st division, but

today I am still passionately fond of both athletics and basketball.

I have been trying to share my passion for basketball, which I considered a very beautiful sport, with young people and to promote it for years: this has given me the greatest satisfaction. My enthusiasm and a strong team spirit helped me stir my scout group’s interest

(I was part of a scout group until the age of 25). Today I don’t play anymore and I seldom shoot a basket but sport is still one of my greatest pleasures.

I still go to the gym on a regular basis, because physical activity helps me relax at a physical and at a mental level. After a hard day at work, going to the gym and exercising helps me unwind and release all the tensions: sometimes I listen to

Latin-American music and I enjoy getting carried away by its enthralling sound (I

love dancing); sometimes I run. At the end of the day, I like reading a good book to complete my daily training.

Patrizia Santini

Readers’ Pastimes

page 12 | Issue 32

New

Supporting Extras

This vehicle started out life as a Mini. It was taken apart and a Comet kit car body fitted. Bought six years ago, it sat on a drive for four years and was then built up to look like a miniature open top bus. When on the stand at Margate, it receives a tremendous amount of attention and many local dignitaries such as the mayor and council leader have had their photographs taken with it.

When the Three Towns tour franchise was taken over, something a little different was wanted to draw attention to the open top buses. This has been most beneficial in this respect. It is left on the stand when the bus is not there and it gives the pavement workers a great starter to initiate people’s interest and talk about the open top bus tour.

The car is a seven seat Renault Espace people carrier. Alan Denson came up with the idea after seeing the Fiat in the lastissue of Top Deck. He thought

it would be a great idea for Liverpool’s pavement staff to keep them dry during the rainy summers.

Perhaps details of vehicles used in supporting roles, in City Sightseeing livery, at other locations could be submitted, together with a photograph, for inclusion in this ‘occasional column’?

The City Sightseeing Worldwide Website now has an exclusive Staff Area, where recent issues of Top Deck may be found on line and details of the current

PRIZE COMPETITION.

Contributions to a Staff Forum would be welcomed and suggestions for any other useful information that might be added

to this section.

To gain access:

www.city-sightseeing.com, then click on staff login and use the

password topdeck08

New W e b s i t e

page 13 | Issue 32

Notes from a Small Bus Operator It is difficult to know where to start this time. Am I still a small bus operator? Should I change the title to Moans from a Grumpy Old Man? Is anybody reading this? How is the editor going to fill the space if I do not finish in time?

The late Douglas Adams taught us the answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. The problem, of course, is we do not know what the question is. It did occur to me I should throw that in as my contribution to a meeting one day, when I was feeling trapped in a room full of tree huggers and bat fanciers, but I realised nobody would understand what I was talking about. I also came to the conclusion there was little point in advocating a new generation of nuclear power stations if I wanted to get out alive.

Sue has just looked over my shoulder and commented, ‘Struggling for a subject, then?’ Not really, it is just the introduction I am having difficulty with. My point is I am still in this business because I enjoy it.

Many years ago, members of our management team used to attend lunchtime meetings of our local Chamber of Commerce. We would chat to old friends, eat lunch and listen to a speaker. Inevitably, there would also be the networking phase, when business cards would be exchanged. We would be asked, ‘What do you do?’ and respond with ‘We are the management team at Rider York.’ Blank looks. Sometimes, ‘Oh, Ryder Truck Rental?’ ‘No, buses.’ ‘Oh, yes, great idea. Never use them myself, though!’ We stopped going in the end - there are many more interesting people to meet than a bunch of solicitors, accountants and estate agents who think this ancient city’s roads should be reserved for their nice big cars, but their employees can use buses if they want.

Again, some of my fellow students uttered a horrified, ‘Buses, how boring!’ when told what I intended to do after graduating from university. There are a lot of people out there who do not understand what makes this job so fascinating.

It is a people business, of course, and what is more fascinating than people? I have spent 38 years in the rail and bus industries and, at some point in the dim and distant past, also managed to fit into my spare time pounding the beat and directing traffic as a Special Constable for 12 years. Even after all this time, I still enjoy getting out onto the streets and meeting the public. Sometimes, I will hop on a bus and check tickets on the way, chatting to the passengers as we go. On race days, I will be out there loading people onto buses. Never mind the craic in a Dublin pub, just join in a bus queue at York Racecourse on a sunny day. On the other hand, the less said about the cancelled August meeting the better.

My hero is still Gerry (‘I tried to run a railway’) Fiennes, who made the point it is the people who make the industry what it is and that applies to buses as well as trains. When I joined British Railways, they had only just sacked Gerry for stating the obvious - the endless reorganisations were distracting everybody from getting on with the job. My brother and I recently listened to a

fascinating talk by Geoff Bird, retired British Railways Shed Master at York. Now, Geoff did have fun for most of his career. That is the way to do it - keep it safe, run it as well as you can, but enjoy it, or do something else.

We borrowed Mickey Botton from Purfleet over the August Bank Holiday. I hope he enjoyed the change of scenery. We certainly had some fun while he was here. Mickey is great at working the crowd and his enthusiasm is infectious. We certainly managed to

send a lot of customers away happy and that is due in no small part to the fact our drivers, guides and street marketing staff actually enjoy what they are doing as well.

Now, it is the big change. We are no longer independent, having accepted an approach to join a large group. The work involved was stressful and distracting, but we were helped by our staff, who just got on with the job, and by a very professional firm of solicitors (who did not have to ask what a bus was - although our son Andrew, a car dealer, almost managed to sell one of them a Ferrari). We

have both worked for big companies before and are used to corporate demands, but it still takes some getting used to. It works both ways, though – it is taking our new bosses some time to get used to my sense of humour.

We are still busy merging two businesses, tour buses and local bus, but it is coming together nicely. The support of a big group is a great comfort – it is nice to do things your own way, but it is also nice to be able to call on help whenever you need it. We have several friends at another company, which was taken over a few years ago, and they all pointed to the central support of the new owners as a big advantage

I have not done a lot of driving this year, just the occasional private hire or race special and a few hours on City Sightseeing tours. I can not remember when I last drove a school bus. I did give myself the two wedding hires to the Merchant Taylor’s Hall, though it is right in the city centre, only accessible with a special permit and it takes a bit of shunting to get in through the gates. On the first occasion, I rang the caretaker beforehand and was assured that it would not be a problem, ‘… because the brewery wagon gets in ok.’ By the third shunt he was getting anxious, ‘Those gates are extremely valuable!’ To which the response was, ‘So is this bus and as I paid for it I am not going to scratch it.’

In my last column, I was looking forward to the City Sightseeing Conference. For some reason, we could not repeat our 2001

“It is a people business, of course, and what is more fascinating than

people?”

308 at the Merchant Taylor's Hall

Page 14 | Issue 32

HAVE YOU?

Have you ever written anything for the Magazine?

ALL contributions, large, medium or small, in your

own language are gratefully received by the Editor.

air and rail journey so we took a holiday flight to Malaga and hired a car to get to Seville and managed two days’ holiday in Malaga before returning home. Yes, we took the tour there. The driver was delighted to see us, which emphasised the City Sightseeing family feeling. The conference itself was as good as ever, giving us all the chance to get together with friends old and new. Networking, yes, but much better than those Chamber of Commerce lunches! We were delighted to meet Liz Tappin at her first conference, but sorry that Alex and Rena Pringle were not able to attend - they have become good friends and we wish them well in their retirement. We think that leaves Alex Dochy, Sue and me as the only people to attend every conference so far. We have certainly visited lots of cities, we would not otherwise have seen, and we recommend City Sightseeing tours to everyone. Well, we

would, would we not? Just one pang of envy - how did Seville build a new tramway in such a short time? I remember my old friend, Dr Bob Tebb, describing to a CIT meeting in 1980 plans for a new trolleybus system in Bradford, only eight years after the old system closed. I helped Bob to work on plans for the Leeds Supertram in the early 1990s and we are still waiting for both. You will excuse me if I do not get excited about tram-trains from York to Leeds via Leeds Bradford Airport. We could run them, of course - our new owners operate trams elsewhere - but I will be long retired before they arrive. Oh, well, there is always Christmas to look forward to.

Peter Dew

Family A’fares!It is known worldwide that Ensignbus and City Sightseeing have at the helm, at Purfleet, the famous father and sons’ team – Peter and his sons Ross and Steve. Also, most of our franchises are family concerns.

Two Bristol brothers teamed up to welcome visitors to the city. Ted Joyce, who is 61, and his younger brother, Andy, who is 56, have been working together on the City Sightseeing Bristol tour - Ted as a driver and Andy as a guide. Ted previously worked as a bus

driver for First, while Andy was quite familiar with distributing information after 37 years as a postman!

Also, making a real family affair of things at City Sightseeing Bristol was a father and son team. Bob Watkins (61) and son, Ian (41) worked as drivers - but no-one will say who the better driver was!

We are anxious to hear from any family teams. Please send us a photo, preferably in uniform if appropriate, together with brief details, so that you can be included in Family A’fares!

page 15 | Issue 32

page 16 | Issue 32

Spotlight on Dane Mooney – The Mighty Mechanic The eighth day of the eighth month of the eighth year of the third millennium AD marked a significant milestone in Dane’s life. Considered by some to be a lucky date (because of the three 8s), on the 8 August he completed 20 years with Guide Friday/City Sightseeing!

Born in Coventry on 25 October 1956 to a London mother and Dublin father, Dane commenced his education at Stoke Infants School at the tender age of 5 years. For his secondary education he attended the City of Coventry Boarding School at Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire. On leaving full time education in 1971, he began an apprenticeship at Gears and Components Limited, Coventry, as a gear cutter turner. Dane completed his three year apprenticeship in 1974, but by this time had decided working in a factory was not to his liking, so, took a job as a felt roofer. Four years later, he suddenly lost his enthusiasm for felt roofing following a prank played on him by a workmate. ‘We had a contract doing the car factories where we used to find rubber gloves - the kind with a tight band around the wrist. On this occasion, we only found the gauntlet type, which my mate whilst pouring for me, decided to pour half a bucket of hot tar into my glove instead of on the roof!’

Following this incident in 1978, Dane started work for a demolition firm where he became involved with machinery and diesel engines. 1982 saw another career change with a move to CATS of Coventry, who specialised in the renovation of old Jaguar cars – SSs, XK120s, 140s, 150s, E Types and Mark IIsi. ‘Here I had the privilege of working with a gentleman called Harry New, who during the Second World War had repaired Spitfires. Every panel he made for the Jaguars was produced by hand on a wheeling machine.’

By 1984, Dane was working as an ejection technician (bouncer?) at a night club in Stratford-upon-Avon. It was here that he first set eyes upon Eileen, his wife-to-be, and

the focus of his life began to move from Coventry to Stratford. In 1987 Eileen let it be known that she was in the family way, to which Dane replied, ‘Well I’ll be off to join the Foreign Legion then.’ Shortly afterwards, he returned from Paris with his tail between

his legs, having decided he did love Eileen after all! A job was secured with Tanners, a bus company in a small place called Sibford Gower. On 12 February 1988, Eileen gave birth to twins Danielle and Thomas.

If the 8/8/08 was lucky, then 8 August 1988 (with an extra 8!) must have been even luckier, because it was on this date Dane started working for Guide Friday Limited at Stratford-upon-Avon. ‘It was a small unit leased from the Birds Group off the Birmingham Road.’ From here in the early days he looked after the vehicles allocated to Cambridge, Oxford and Windsor, ‘Which is where I first met Richard, I believe.’ Sometimes he would be sent to the coast to Plymouth, Portsmouth or Brighton.

Dane also went with the first fleet sent to Edinburgh. ‘Loved that journey. At the end of the M6 after hours of driving, with more water coming down the inside of the windscreen than the

outside, you finally see sign EDINGBURGH 101 miles! Only 101? I think I’ve fallen asleep more times going to Edinburgh and back than I have in my bed at home.

‘Drove one time from Stratford, on our usual route to Edinburgh, in a bus that was dedicated and liveried for the Sea Life Centre, so of course had a full roof. Ten miles outside Stratford, came to a canal bridge that had the same height reading as the bus. Do I turn back or chance it? I chanced it and, lucky enough, one of them was telling lies.

In the early days at Oxford our base was Oxford Bus and my office was the

canteen. I would have to beg a pit off the running shift, get it all prepared and run around to a different garage to collect whichever

“I think I’ve fallen asleep more times going to Edinburgh and back

than I have in my bed at home.”

page 17 | Issue 32

bus. By the time I got back, my tools would be in a heap and an Oxford bus over the pit being worked on.’

Dane loves to recount one his most memorable times at Guide Friday. ‘Roger Thompson – founder and chairman - had a piece of waste land beside our unit in Stratford, which he allowed, at certain times of the year, gypsies to camp on. This particular time they didn’t want to

go, so Roger, being Roger, decided he and a couple of us were going to move these 40 gypsies, bearing hammers, cycle chains and pick axe handles. He called Steve Knight, Sylvo and I, from the unit saying, “Sort them out lads!” All I can remember thinking was I’m sure it doesn’t say anything about this in my contract. For those of you interested, nothing happened - the gypsies just upped and went - though I

do think it was more the worry of their camping spot next year than us four!’

Another fond memory of Dane’s is using Alice (CHL 772), a Daimler CVD6SD with Willowbrook DP35F body, for his in-laws’ Ruby Wedding in 1990, as it was built the same year they married.

In 1995 Eileen and Dane’s third child, Alannah Jade, arrived

and ‘We also got married. Coincidence, I promise!’

Dane was chosen as Guide Friday Employee of the Year in 2000.

In 2002 the Ensign Group acquired Guide Friday and the inevitable rationalisation with City Sightseeing followed. The Oxford operation was sold to Tom Tappin Limited – the City Sightseeing franchisee in Oxford. ‘I was given the choice of staying with Ensign and moving back to Stratford or continuing my length of

service, but going on the Tappin’s payroll. I chose to move and stay with Stratford. Three months longer, I was still at Oxford, with Mr. Paul Tappin saying, “You ain’t going anywhere!” as only Paul could. I finally went over to Tappins where, I must add, it was not much different, other than I had the Tappins’s workshops at Didcot for back-up instead of the Guide Friday ones at Stratford.’Amongst his many interests Dane lists Tae Kwon Do, playing the guitar and running discos and karaokes, ‘Though too fat and lazy these days to be

doing anything energetic!’ He started learning Tae Kwon Do in 1963 and by 1977 had reached Black Belt Second Dan. His musical aspirations go back to 1976 when he started playing in bands. One such band was The Roadrunners. ‘We made a record for a competition for Opportunity Knocks and sold about 200 copies of which I’m sure my mother bought about 100!’

Jane Marshall, the manager at City Sightseeing Oxford said, ‘I have known Dane for more than 10 years. He has always been supportive and humorous during this time and willing to listen to my frequent concerns. His ingenious approach to the repair and maintenance of our buses never ceases to amaze me. Thanks Dane.’

“Dane was chosen as Guide Friday

Employee of the Year in 2000.”

Dublin Goes IrishVisitors to Dublin can now enjoy all the sights and stories of Ireland’s capital city in Irish on the award winning City Sightseeing multilingual Dublin City Tour. The new Irish language service was launched on Wednesday 11 June by Dublin footballer and Irish speaker Jason Sherlock, at Áras Chronain N S, Clondalkin. Also at the launch were the colourful traditional Irish folk band Kila and the students of Áras Chronain.

David McConn, General Manager of The Dualway Group/ City Sightseeing Dublin said, ‘As an Irish speaker it was a proud moment to see Irish being recognised as an official European language. We felt it was time to recognise the right of our Irish customers to the choice of enjoying and learning about Dublin in English or as Gaeilge. Now domestic visitors and school tours to Dublin can choose to enjoy a live guided tour of the city in English or they can hop

on our Multilingual Tour and listen to an audio commentary by a native Irish speaker from Kerry! We have worked closely with Foras na Gaeilge to ensure that the Irish tour is of the highest standard.’

Speaking on behalf of Foras na Gaeilge, Gearóid Trimble said, ‘We at Foras na Gaeilge want to congratulate The Dualway Group for their commitment to the Irish language. The introduction of the language to the multilingual Dublin City Tour gives due recognition to the importance of our language in the culture and history of our capital city.’

City Sightseeing Dublin has also introduced a text screen for passengers

who are hard of hearing. The screen features the text version of the full commentary, in English, and is available on the new buses delivered this year.

York City Sightseeing introduced its multilingual tour on Wednesday 30 April.

Peter Dew commented: ‘We travel on tour buses in many cities and find there are few to match the detail or quality of York City Sightseeing. We are always ready to incorporate new ideas in our tours and multilingual was the next step. The choice of languages was a difficult one. Should we choose Mandarin or Cantonese?

for example, but we were determined to include Dutch, as well as the usual European languages.’

Passengers have a choice of a pre-recorded commentary in English, live guides or the new multilingual commentary. This offers tours

in English, English Kids’ Commentary, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Polish and Mandarin Chinese. All of the commentaries are comprehensive, giving a detailed history of York and a description of the many sights and attractions along the route.

Why a Kids’ Commentary? Ideally, a bus tour is educational and informative, but it needs to be entertaining as well. The experience of our colleagues in other cities is something specifically aimed at children is well received.

Sitting down with her grandma and granddad, Susan and Peter Dew, Jasmine, from Stamford Bridge, gave a young person’s view of the commentary as it was written. Her ideas were used in the final script. Peter and Sue were delighted by the result and a test run for invited guests brought praise from those who listened to it. Some of the sound effects, including one by the narrator, York City Sightseeing supervisor Richard Barker, won laughter and approval. As a thank you, a bus was provided to bring children from Stamford Bridge Primary School to York on Wednesday, 30 April, when they were the first school party to take the new tour. Stamford Bridge is, of course, the site of the famous battle in 1066. Jasmine’s mum, Dawn Steele, was among the parents who came along to help. ‘They are learning all about the Battle of Stamford Bridge,’ commented Sue, ‘and our new commentary can tell them what life was like for children in years gone by as well.’

York Introduces Multilingual Tour

page 18 | Issue 32

Norwich Besieged by Elephants!

Bath Succumbs to Swine Fever!

Go Elephants!For ten weeks this summer the city streets of Norwich came alive, when Go Elephants! provided a vivid, vibrant and entertaining parade of creative talent. The elephants found on safari across the city were the result of 18 months of planning. The Forum Trust and Wild in Art worked closely with partners, artists and community groups in creating the city’s largest ever public art event.

Decorated by local artists and community groups, more than 50 sponsored and beautifully finished elephants provided a

talking and walking point which showcased the region’s rich artistic talent. Norwich’s intimate network of streets provided an outstanding urban savannah for the painted pachyderms.

A sold out charity auction provided an exciting finale

to Go Elephants!, when in excess of £100,000 was raised for two worthy charities – CLIC Sargent (the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity) and The Born Free Foundation (an important wildlife charity).

The Legend of Prince BladudMany cities are steeped with mystery and legend and Bath is no exception.

The legend of Prince Bladud was marked more than 3,000 years after conception by an adventurous and colourful art display in the centre and surrounding areas of Bath.

Prince Bladud is reportedly the historical and mythical founder of Bath. The basic story is: Bladud caught leprosy, was exiled from his father’s tribe, and became a swineherd in

the Bath area, gave his leprosy to the pigs that wandered off and they were eventually found wallowing in the hot muddy springs. They refused to leave their mud bath until Bladud laid a trail of acorns, their favourite food. He then observed that their leprosy was cured, due to the hot springs they had discovered. Bladud then bathed in the waters, was also cured and returned to his father’s tribe. When he became king he built a settlement on the

spot where he had been cured.

Many architectural features and street names around the city represent this legend and over the summer months, additionally, we saw 100 colourful stone pigs in various locations around the city.

For the past 12 months, businesses and individuals signed up to sponsor a pig with artists and local schools involved in deciding the final designs. The project ran until the end of October when each pig was auctioned to raise money for a scheme to re-open a local cycle route.

Lena Cook

page 19 | Issue 32

A Visit to Cape Town2008: On holiday again in Cape Town – one of my favourite destinations. A visit to the tourist office in Long Street is always my first point of call to catch up on the latest news and information about the attractions. But how do you get to them? It could not be easier. Just across the road is the first city stop for the City Sightseeing tour buses. The first one goes at 09.50. Just enough time to have a coffee and plan the day before getting on board.

The Red-Route: There are two routes with plenty to see and do on both of them. The Red Route takes about one hour and does a circuit of the city. So I pay my R120 (about £8) and pop on top to receive a welcome smile and greeting from the tour guide. Off we go. I am amazed at his knowledge as we go and his good humour adds greatly to my pleasure. Every turn brings something new to see. The architecture of Long Street, St George’s Cathedral where Archbishop Desmond Tutu used to preach, District Six which was cleared under apartheid, the castle and the Mount Nelson Hotel where many

famous people have stayed. Now we start to climb. The view as we go is magical. The air is clean, the city unfolds beneath my eyes and the Lions Head (part of Table Mountain) looms to my right. Today I get off at the cable car terminal of Table Mountain. This is a must for me as

last time I was here it was closed because of maintenance. It was operating this time and a highlight of my visit. No need to rush because I know I will never have to wait too long to rejoin the next bus.

Off I go again and circle the Lions Head and journey towards Camps Bay for lunch. Luckily the ticket also provides lots of money off offers, one of which I take up at the Cape Town Fish Market restaurant overlooking the sea. One hour later I am back on board as the

bus travels along the sea front for about four miles – a beautiful journey! A little while later I arrive at the Victoria Waterfront –

the destination for shopping, the trip to Robbin Island and many other attractions. But I have one idea in mind – to visit the aquarium – one of the best in the world. Here you will see penguins, sharks, turtles and many brightly coloured fish. The journey back to Long Street only takes a few minutes.

The Blue Route: A couple of days later I am off again using my 10% discount for my second trip. The Blue Route takes a

different path around the city and heads towards the first major stop of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, once the home of Cecil

Rhodes and a horticultural wonder of the world. Do not miss it and also plan in time to visit the World of Birds and a boat trip from Hout Bay. You will not be disappointed.

I hope the drivers and tour guides get to see this, so I can pass on my thanks. They were always on time, were extremely helpful and made me feel safe and valued at all times. Well done!

Alan Jarvis

The Red Route bus at Long Street.

The Blue Route bus at Hout Bay.

page 20 | Issue 32

Bearing in mind Cape Town is in the Southern Hemisphere, September is usually a frantic month at City Sightseeing Cape Town. Loads of last minute preparations are underway for the start of our summer timetable - scheduled to kick in on 27 September this year. Whilst the winter has been long and wet this year, our passenger numbers have grown very nicely thanks to the bolt on half roofs we are now able to fit to our new fleet. Our workshop team has been frantically wiring up all 10 buses for our new multilingual system and I have kept myself busy with the design of our new leaflet, bus stop signage and a variety of other related stuff, let alone sorting out the content of two 2 hour tours in eight languages!

So, I thought it would be prudent to take our staff away on a little break and to use the opportunity to help our guides and drivers develop a closer working relationship. No mean feat I may add and so, after contemplating the issue at length, I came up with the idea of doing a river rafting trip down the Orange River - many of our staff cannot swim!

For those of you not familiar with the geography of Southern Africa, (Sissy on you - time to come and visit!) the Orange River forms the border between South Africa and Namibia to our North. The river has its origins in the highlands of Lesotho and makes its way some 2,200 km to the West coast joining the Atlantic Ocean at the diamond mining town of Port Nolloth. To keep the wheels rolling, we divided our staff into two teams of 11 each and so, without too much warning I invited them to join me on this fun experience in the wilderness …

CS Cape Town Heads for the Wilderness

Day 1:This consisted of a 700 km drive from Cape Town to Namibia, crossing the

border at Vioolsdrift. From there onto the base camp called Provance, located

some 15 km along the river on the Namibian side.

page 21 | Issue 32

CS Cape Town Heads for the Wilderness

Day 2:Following a hearty breakfast our crew was divided into teams of two per canoe

and after a safety briefing we headed down

the river. The Orange River is a wide body

of water that narrows often forming rapids.

Whilst swimming is not a prerequisite, thanks

to the life jackets, teamwork IS, to keep your

canoe afloat and steady as you head down

the river. Needless to say, communication is

also vital and so many funny moments were

enjoyed as our drivers and guides explored

the concept of working together. Failure

to do so inevitably resulted in an instant

consequence - that of getting wet! Fortunately all of us brought a great

sense of humor and took everything in good spirit. Lunch was prepared by

the river guides and consisted of a 5 star meal served alongside the river.

Similarly, at the end of the day a grassy verge was found and a 5 star meal

was served by the river crew, usually around a camp fire under the African

stars. Some of our crew decided to make use of the tents provided - the rest

of us took to our sleeping bags under the canopy of stars.

Day 3:We were woken up to coffee and rusks served in our sleeping bags! How is

that for service in the bush? After a hearty breakfast we took off again,

heading over Dead Man’s Rapid and Entrance Exam Rapid. Some managed

to even navigate their canoes down these rapids backwards - quite an

achievement I am told by the river guides. Others managed to tip over

in a most spectacular fashion, much

to everybody’s delight, but by the end

of day 3 we finally reached the take

out point, some 30 km down the river

from where we started. (Martin, note

the bus that collected us!) The evening

was spent around the campfire sharing

the many events and stories gathered

during our trip down the river.

page 22 | Issue 32

Day 4:Alas, it was over all too soon and so we headed back to Cape Town. Suntanned

and tired, but fired up and ready to head into the next summer season,

with one simple lesson learned - the wetter, the better!

Claus Tworeck

Lessons learned: ManyEgos bruised: ManyTeamwork: Improved loads!

At the beginning of July, four overseas bishops and their wives from Rio de Janeiro, West Tennessee, Australia and South Africa visited the Monmouth Diocese in South Wales. The visit was part of the five day Pre-Lambeth Hospitality Initiative, whereby Anglican dioceses throughout Britain were asked to host overseas bishops coming to the Lambeth Conference, which takes place every 10 years.

A programme was arranged by the Monmouth Diocesan World Mission Officer, who just happens to be Newport City Sightseeing tour guide Irene Doull. Places of interest in the area were visited, including Tintern Abbey, Big Pit Museum, Blaenavon, Cardiff Bay, the Welsh Assembly building and the Lightship. Also arranged were a civic dinner with the mayor and mayoress of Newport, a Cathedral service and an evening with Bishop Dominic Walker, the Bishop of Monmouth.

What better way to see the sights and treasures of the City of Newport than by the open top tour bus. Irene and fellow Anglican Alan Smith, guide and driver, with the agreement of Newport City Sightseeing, organised and conducted a special tour.

This proved to be the high spot of the bishops’ visit, when the group of 20, including the Bishop of Monmouth and some local

clergy and guests, boarded the tour bus at Christchurch. There followed a fun filled day, as down the hill they went to Caerleon, to see the sights of the Roman occupation in the fortress of Isca, the Roman barracks and the Amphitheatre, with tales of gladiators

and the added bonus of an archaeological dig.

Back up the hill for an excellent lunch provided by the ladies of Christchurch in the church hall. The open top bus continued on past the transporter bridge for a tour of the Newport mediaeval ship, to see the restoration and recording work, and for a coin to be struck for each bishop. A special tour of Tredegar House followed, one of the best restoration homes in Britain, with tales of the Morgan family. On past St Woolos Cathedral to

follow the route taken by the Chartist Marchers in 1839 and to travel past Newport castle, with its 15th Century east curtain wall and Watergate, before returning to Christchurch.

For most, travelling by open top tour bus was a first time experience and they were quick to say what a fantastic way it was to view the sights and how much they had seen and learnt.

Newport City Sightseeing is definitely ‘the tops’!

Trevor Roberts

Top Deck Bishops

page 23 | Issue 32

New Buses for Athens and PurfleetFollowing our long term partnership with Volvo and Ayats for sightseeing buses, we can now report on the results of our collaboration with two new body suppliers for the Ensign Group with recent deliveries of Unvi open toppers for Athens and Optare Olympus double deck service buses for Purfleet.

Whilst Ensign had previously sold Volvo coach chassis with Berkhof bodies as an approved dealer in the 1980s, the introduction of new Volvo Bus chassis for the sightseeing fleet marked a re-kindling of that relationship which then dovetailed very nicely with the Ayats body that had been researched by our longest standing European partner, and very good friend, Enrique Ybarra, of City Sightseeing Spain.

The first of the Volvo B7L Ayats buses went into operation in Palma in 2003 and since that time over 100 units have been delivered to City Sightseeing operators in England and Wales and throughout Europe.

The B7L chassis proved to be a big success and although it was designed primarily as a single deck chassis, it was ideally suited to the open top concept and gave us a reliable double deck product at a single deck price point. Volvo’s record on delivery has been nothing short of remarkable with every one of the 100 units being delivered on, or before, promised delivery dates.

Whilst the Ayats body design was revolutionary compared to other open top bus designs and certainly generated additional bums on seats due entirely to its aesthetic appeal, we did struggle a little in endeavouring to achieve all of the quality improvements we would have liked to have seen and in 2006 we started to cast around to find a second approved supplier for our body requirements.

Along with Volvo, we visited several potential bodybuilders and eventually settled on Unvi, a company based in Orense, in the Galicia region of North Eastern Spain. Unvi had built up a close working relationship with the Portuguese manufacturer Camo, who has had a long tradition of building open top buses which assisted greatly in our early discussions. By the time they started building the first units for City Sightseeing Unvi had purchased the Camo business.

Right from the start the working relationship with Unvi was extremely positive and many of our ideas and requests have been

incorporated in the new open top design. The first four units were finished a week ahead of schedule and delivered to Athens in May this year. Owing to internal political difficulties inside Greece there has been a significant delay in commencing operations, but the tour has now started and you can read all about the Athens experience from our Greek colleagues elsewhere in this issue. Our partner in Brussels, Open Tours, is currently having some

Volvo chassis bodied by Unvi and we look forward to hearing of their experiences soon.

With the introduction of new engines to meet the Euro 4 emissions requirements the B7L became the B9L and due to the location of the air intake and cooling pack arrangement (on the roof!) it was no longer possible to use this variant for double deck applications. Whilst

the B9TL (transverse engine and successor to the B7TL) was available in the United Kingdom as a right hand drive, standard double deck chassis, Volvo did not produce a left hand drive, transport wheelbase option for Europe.

The transport wheelbase concept is used widely by European body builders who actually chop out the centre section of the chassis, relying on the integrity of their body to hold the front and back

chassis modules together. This approach allows for a variety of vehicle lengths and wheelbase options that can be tailored to suit individual operating requirements. In the United Kingdom body makers have traditionally mounted their body onto a fixed chassis platform which

reduces the flexibility of dimensional options, but allows for a light but strong aluminium structure and faster and more economical build time.

Volvo, however, quickly recognised not only the benefits of being able to continue to supply chassis to City Sightseeing operators worldwide, but also that other markets may open up for them, and they quickly agreed to produce a left hand drive, transport wheelbase version of the B9TL for Europe.

Having been so impressed with the quality and flexibility of the Unvi product we spent a great deal of time and effort at the beginning of this year examining the possibility of having Unvi build closed top double deck buses for the United Kingdom market, including 10 for our own requirements for the Ensign fleet, which

“We invited some senior engineers from the major United Kingdom operators to review these plans...

and we received some very positive comments.”

page 24 | Issue 32

would provide a working showroom for customers to examine buses in service before buying new vehicles sold and supported by the Ensign dealership. We were able to lay down a comprehensive specification that complied with all United Kingdom regulations and even met the demanding TFL requirements. We also invited some senior engineers from the major United Kingdom operators to review these plans and visit the Unvi plants to see their products and we received some very positive comments.

Unfortunately the GB Pound then proceeded to devalue significantly against the Euro and the viability of the project was, at least for the foreseeable future, compromised to the extent that we have had to shelve these plans for the time being. This meant that we needed to look elsewhere for 10 new

buses to compliment the local bus operation at Purfleet which has gone from strength to strength since its conception and is currently on target to achieve annual revenues of around £3.5 million.

We invited proposals from Volvo, Alexander Dennis, Wrightbus and the Darwen Group (which has since acquired and integrated its business as Optare). All the companies came forward with interesting proposals and there were pros and cons attached to each option, but ultimately it was decided to stay with the Volvo B9TL chassis that we have standardised on for sightseeing operations and to award the contract for the bodywork to Darwen (now Optare), who were at that time busy revamping the East Lancs Bus building business and had the exciting new Olympus double deck body on offer. After some intensive negotiations we were able to secure a very positive delivery schedule, which has been very close to being met, and the buses arrived at Purfleet in mid to late September.

Initial reaction to the quality of finish has been very positive. Several of the engineering staff have been on training courses at the Optare factory and all the guys were impressed with the method of construction of the aluminium frame, the innovative

diagnostic methods adopted and the workmanship in general.Prior to the introduction of the new buses into service in late September early October, our operations team conducted a

thorough type training programme for drivers and our star public relations man, Mick Botton, spent a week presenting the bus to the public in Grays’s town centre, where it was displayed alongside RT 3232 to show the contrast between the old and the new. Part of our presentation focused on our specifying Euro 5 engines in these buses, thereby meeting a standard not actually required by law until October 2009!

For the enthusiasts:

111-120 (PO58 NPG/J/K/N/P/U/V/X/Y,NRE) Volvo B9TL Optare Olympus H51/31F

“The local bus operation at Purfleet has gone from

strength to strength since its conception and is currently on target to

achieve annual revenues of around £3.5 million.”

It’s on the tour!

?Can you guess where?

Brian Longley(Engineering Director, Ensign Group)

Answer on page 31

page 25 | Issue 32

Focus on...Chester is a compact city in the north west of England, in close proximity to the English-Welsh border. Through a history dating back to Roman times, Chester has fulfilled many roles: Roman legionary fortress, Saxon township, Norman border fort, medieval walled town and seaport, Royalist stronghold and cathedral city. Today, Chester is a vibrant city attracting many visitors - a natural location for a City Sightseeing tour. Indeed, the city has been a City Sightseeing location since 2002. However, the history of city bus tours extends back further and, like the life of the city itself, all has not always been completely peaceful. This is a look back at how the tour has developed over the years.

Like all good tales there is an element of mystery. While researching these notes I was told of an operator from Wrexham offering half-day tours of Chester during the 1970s, but no firm details, or even a name, has yet come to light. So, the story starts in the 1980s with Chester City Transport offering a city tour that was more like a traditional half-day excursion than the hop on hop off tours of today.

When I first visited Chester in August 1981 CCT were offering their City Bus Tour departing from outside the town hall using a suitably lettered standard Leyland Fleetline with Northern Counties body - 98 (SDM 98V) being the bus in question. It was not until a return visit in the autumn of 1985 that I actually joined the tour. By this time a Leyland Olympian with Northern Counties body, 1 (B201 EFM), had taken over the tour duties and although coach-seated it no longer carried specific lettering. It started from outside the cathedral, taking in the city and the walls before venturing to the outlying villages of Eccleston and Christleton, the latter including a stop for afternoon tea provided by the local branch of the WI.

By the late 1980s CCT had gone open-top with the conversion of an older Daimler Fleetline, 62 (RFM 62M), employed on a City Gates and Walls Tour, again this started from the cathedral but the route no longer took in the surrounding

villages. It was around this time another local operator, Nostalgia Unlimited, briefly appeared on the scene using a Bedford/Plaxton coach, (606 HTC), on both city tours and more traditional excursions into the Cheshire and North Wales countryside. In the city the route followed was similar to that used by CCT.

Guide Friday came to Chester in 1991 and The Chester City Tour ran every 20 minutes daily that season. Chester City Transport continued to offer The Chester Tour, quickly re-titled The Original Chester Tour. Both routes started from the cathedral and followed similar circuits around the city. CCT were using several Leyland Fleetlines with Northern Counties bodies either fully or part open-top - 87 (CFM 87S), 90/92 (KFM 190/2T) and 95-98

(KFM 95-98V), while Guide Friday also used Fleetlines, mustering ex Nottingham ETO 161L, ex London MLH 304L (DMS304) and ex Midland Red SHA 882G and YHA 274J. In due course, Chester City Transport and Guide Friday chose to combine efforts and resources. CCT’s vehicles were used suitably re-liveried and carrying both the CCT and Guide Friday names on a livery of CCT cream and Guide Friday green.

One of Chester’s jewels is undoubtedly the River Dee and the operators of the river pleasure cruisers were naturally keen to see a link between the city centre and their base at The Groves - even a Dotto Train was considered at one point.

In the end a joint operation was formed by Bithells Boats and local operator

Acorn Travel for the 1995 season. This was Chester Bus & Boat. Once again there was competition on the city tour. As the name suggests, a combined bus and river ticket was offered along with a slightly shorter bus tour. Chester Bus & Boat chose former London vehicles in the form of a pair of Routemasters - RM625 (XYJ 419) and RM 1836 (EGF 285B) - backed up by ex London Country Leyland Atlantean (MCU 98K, originally JPL 110K).Competition!

Around this time the opportunity was taken to amend the CCT/Guide Friday route to serve the River Dee at The Groves. On a less positive note, a new traffic management scheme required both operators to revise their route, not least, away from the favoured cathedral pick-up point which from this time could only be accessed on a Sunday - a feature that continues to this day. Away from the core Chester Tour, other ventures were tried by CCT, notably a Liverpool City Tour with the bus travelling from Chester on a daily basis and briefly, an evening ghost tour. As the 1990s progressed, Chester Bus and Boat faded from the scene and the CCT/Guide Friday vehicles received branding to promote the link to the river and boat cruises. Away from Chester, one of the Bus & Boat Routemasters went on to operate a tour of the Horseshoe Pass from Llangollen for a couple of

page 26 | Issue 32

Chester City Transport no 62 turns from St. Werburgh Street into Eastgate Street, summer 1989.

Chester City Transport’s Leyland Olympian no 1, awaits returning passengers at Christleton, autumn 1985.

Guide Friday MLH 304L was photographed in June 1991, fully liveried for THE CHESTER CITY TOUR.

Chester City Transport no 90, photographed during the mid 1990s, displaying both CHESTER CITY TRANSPORT and GUIDE FRIDAY LTD fleet names. The bus is framed by the Grosvenor Bridge while calling at the Little Roodee coach park.

Chester seasons.

As previously mentioned, City Sightseeing first established their Chester Tour in 2002, using five ex London Leyland Titans based

at the First depot on Liverpool Road. The five buses being WYV 26,43T, CUL 83,100V, and WYN 335V. A feature of the City Sightseeing tour was an extension to and from Chester Zoo. For that season competition again reigned, but this situation did not last for long. Developments in the wider city tour market occurred that would see Ensign acquiring the Guide Friday business and rationalisation take place with their City Sightseeing operations, bringing about consolidation in Chester. For the following season the CCT Fleetlines were repainted from cream and green into City Sightseeing red, bolstered by the conversion of a single Roe bodied Leyland Olympian - 8 (UWW 2X).City Sightseeing comes to Chester! Leyland Titan 398 (CUL 100V) is operating the Chester tour in 2002.

To bring the story up to date, in July 2007 Chester City Transport was acquired by First. For that season the tour continued using the CCT Fleetlines and an occasional extension of the route to nearby Cheshire Oaks. These venerable vehicles were finally retired and sold at the season’s end. For 2008, as already reported in Top Deck, former London vehicles were again on the streets of Chester. Incidentally, these six L Class Olympians are joined by Chester Heritage Tour’s replica B Type - a good replica of a much earlier London bus!

The basis of the current route can be traced back to The Original Chester Tour and Guide Friday’s Chester City Tour from the 1990s, covering the cathedral, the walls and gates, the rows and the river. Details have changed over the years as traffic management schemes evolved and will no doubt continue to do so as the city centre is regenerated and redeveloped. Our big wish is to be allowed to use the Sunday route of St Werburgh Street and actually go under the Eastgate clock all week. Like most locations we are limited to what can be comfortably achieved in an hour.

Over the years a huge number of people have contributed to the Chester tour in its various forms - drivers, guides, PR staff and management. All characters and it is the people who make the tour what it is and a pleasure to be involved with. Aside from the history and the architecture there are 100s of stories and anecdotes to be told and retold, from the cottage with the postal address of Nowhere, Chester (and its possible connection to a Beatles’ song) to the lives of the Roman soldiers based at Deva and the monks in the Abbey, from the five yearly mystery plays to a connection with James Bond (actor Daniel Craig was born in Chester by the way) and why does the town hall clock tower have four sides but only three faces?

Chester is a city with so much to offer. Do come and visit us soon!

(All photos by Nigel Lukowski)

Nigel Lukowski

page 27 | Issue 32

Chester Bus & Boat’s RM625 passes through the Northgate I summer 1995.

Heading away from the Eastgate on a quiet Sunday morning in 2008.

Gestation of the Athens Tour ‘Gia Sas’ to the readers of Top Deck from our company in Athens, Greece - the latest City Sightseeing location. As you can see from the photographs, we are rightly proud of our first four new buses, designed by Ensignbus and built by Unvi.

It is a unique combination of the Volvo engine and Unvi coach building and one that is heartily approved of by our drivers,

who are usually not so easy to please. When they stopped, during the overland trip from Ourense in Spain across Italy through to Athens, there were so many onlookers, admirers and

photographers they could have sold many tickets for us before even arriving at Patras, the western port of Greece!

Having at last obtained our licenses to operate our buses, we look back and try to remember just how all this had started.

It started with a six line message, sent to the headquarters, titled: ‘POSSIBLE CO-OPERATION’ on 21 September 2006!

In the beginning, it was only a good idea of ours with precious little self belief that it could materialise. However, we struck lucky! At the City Sightseeing headquarters we found ourselves dealing with Mandy Gaughan, who has enormous experience of the Greek mentality and character, something which usually takes a life time for foreigners to come to terms with. Mandy was the first one who believed the idea could be developed into reality. She invited us to the World Travel Market (WTM) exhibition in London to meet with Peter Newman, the City Sightseeing Chairman. We met him at the WTM on the Top Deck of an open top bus in the middle of a vast exhibition hall with thousands of people milling about below us. He encouraged us even further and his knowledge and practical advice gave us the impetus to get started back in Athens. In fact, his know how was so vast and went so deep, we resolved the next time we met him we would remember to take a tape recorder! Thus, what had been no more than an idea began to take shape, leading from a possible cooperation to a most definite cooperation.

All the knowledge and assistance coming from Purfleet was only half the story. Here in Greece we had to fight with the ‘wind mills’ (old fashioned laws, Public Sector, summer holidays and so forth). Many times we were in fear of losing the battle, even though we enjoyed such good advisors on our side, namely Peter, Mandy, Brian Longley, Richard Cotton for the commentary, Miles Millington Wallace and so on. Miles came to Greece for a week - the only rainy week this year - and he, together with my husband, Edmund Hinks, an Englishman who has lived here for over 20 years and had volunteered to assist, trekked around Athens together in torrential rain, designing the route, setting out the walking tours and bus stops.

The commentary was then written by Edmund, who must

have driven Mandy quite mad, judging by all the many changes, suggestions and alterations. Edmund had in fact written a book more suitable for the local library, but Mandy turned it into a much more manageable text for a commentary.

Then the relay baton was passed to Richard, a brilliant professional language editor based in Oxford. We were asked to be present at the first language recording after he and his voice-specialist had taken one look at the many Greek place and people names which needed to be spoken in English. So, I went to Oxford, together with Edmund. There we were introduced to ‘The Voice’ - Rebecca, who is a Shakespearean actress, blessed with a strong, humorous personality. We had two very intense days in the recording studio that would normally have been extremely tiring if we had been laughing less. It was a wonderful time and we count ourselves lucky to have dealt with them.

Then I, Manthos Maissis, the managing director of Somaco, Lefteris, our buses’ coordinator and Vassilis Maheras, from Volvo had to visit the Unvi factory at Ourense to finalise the order for our four new buses. The delivery date of the end of April 2008 had been promised and our four beauties were ready on time, with a beautiful and unique City Sightseeing livery designed by Pedro Cabanos. Our drivers picked up our beauties and drove them

to Greece - from Ourence to Barcelona, by ferry to Rome, from Rome to Ancona, and then by ferry to Patras. However, since that great start, the buses have been parked in a garage in Athens, waiting for the day when we would be given their number plates! Since May 2008, we have been engaged in an on-going fight with our ‘wind mills’ to get all the necessary papers in order.

As I write, it is now mid September and have only now won our fight and expect to be able to start the new tour during the second week of October 2008. Soon Purfleet will be sending us Martin Curtis to sort out the use of the commentary machines with the drivers and help us get started. Today I am taking our newly hired staff on a training exercise around Athens. We still cannot yet drive the buses on the road, but we can certainly sort out the ticket selling, the tour stops and the walking tours.

More news after we have started!

Athena Papareskou-Hinks page 28 | Issue 32

Norwich - Euro 4 Olympian

Obituary

G520 VBB, a Leyland Olympian ON2R50C1324 with a Northern Counties H47/27D body, new to Kentish Bus as 520 in January 1990, has been re-powered with a Cummins 6.7 litre ISBe4 250B SCR Euro 4 engine, which can be adjusted to Euro 5 when required.

The work was undertaken by Smiths Engineering based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Overhaul and modifications to the ZF gearbox were also carried out by a specialist, to enable it to match the torque characteristics of the new engine.

Following completion of the re-power and a thorough road test, the bus returned to EnsignBus where it underwent conversion to part open top and was liveried for the City Sightseeing Norwich tour.

This project was the result of the implementation of a low emission zone in Castle Meadow, Norwich on 1 April, which required all buses to meet Euro 3.

JOSEPH JAGGER, died aged 63, on 8 October.

Joe died shortly before his 64th birthday. He decided to celebrate early and had all of the nurses around his bedside singing Happy Birthday to him.

Joe was a decent, honest man who was a joy to work with - nothing was too much trouble and he would do anything for anyone. If we wanted somebody to open up the depot at 06.00 he would be there at 05.30. He was ex Guide Friday, being one of our most experienced drivers, and enjoyed tour bus work but would turn his hand to anything, including mending the yard gate, bringing the inspection pit back to workable condition and always brought a positive note to the canteen gossip – ‘Quit mitherin’ and gerron wi’t’ job’ or words to that effect. A man who always stood up for what was right, he would not tolerate slacking or bullying. We will all miss him and send our sympathy to his family, who were very important to him. I can only repeat the advice Joe and his wife Ann put in a note to us when he became ill – ‘Enjoy life while you can because you never know what is coming – we didn’t!’

Joe’s funeral, at Dewsbury Moor Crematorium, was held on Friday 17 October, in brilliant sunshine, and was attended by over 100 family and friends. York

City Sightseeing, with the very visible presence of Metrobus 118 (or 4002 as it is now) and several present and former colleagues, was well represented - there were certainly a few surprised looks from the residents of Dewsbury when a red open top bus went by.

One former bus driver colleague flew in from Canada to be present and confessed that he and Joe used to race their buses down Dewsbury’s High Street, much to the consternation of the passengers. When Joe moved to York, he settled down to the more sedate pace of the tour buses and charmed his passengers, and his tour guides, instead. There were many touching messages in a book of remembrance for him.

We were privileged to know Joe and, finally, to share in such a moving celebration of his life with his widow, Ann, his children, Paul, Nick and Joanne, his grandchildren and his many friends.

Rest in peace, Joe, and make sure they do not work you too hard at that great tour bus depot above! The memory of Joe and Ann showing us all how to jive at the Christmas social last year will always be treasured.

Peter Dew

G520 VBB at stop 2, Castle Meadow (West Side), on 20 August 2008. (Photo by Richard Morgan)

page 29 | Issue 32

Write a caption for the photograph submitted by David Strainge, taken at the top of Carfax Tower in Oxford.

There is a £20.00 Gift Voucher of the winner’s choice to be won! (Arrangements can be made for the voucher to be in local currency!)

‘Top Deck Prize Competition No 21’,14 Rosedale Close,LUTON,LU3 3AP, England.

Or e-mail to staff10@btinternet.comOr fax to 01582 580159

To reach the Editor by noon on Friday 30 January 2009. Please remember to give your full name, location, address and home phone number. Also, please clearly state your choice of Gift Voucher.

Our lucky winner was Tom McDonnell, an Oxford ticket seller, who won a £20 HMV Token.

Well done and congratulations to Tom!

Two entries received after the closing date, but thought worthy of sharing with our readers are:

‘Things to do in your lunch break? No!’

‘Bus driver training school - day 1, lesson 1.’

COMPETITION TIME

PRIZE COMPETITION

No 21

WIN £20!

WINNING

CAPTION

‘At last I’ve found something that goes faster than a City Sightseeing bus!’

PRIZE COMPETITION

No 20

page 30 | Issue 32

The picture on page 25 was taken from stop 4, Britannia Road, Mousehold Heath, on the City Sightseeing Norwich tour. The building at the forefront of the

Notice BoardCOMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE:

Celebrity SpotlightFocus On Oxford

Developments at PurfleetWashington DC and San Diego

A Visit to GlasgowPLUS MUCH MORE!

If you wish to include any items in the nextand / or future issues please send them in.(See page 2 for full details.)

?Did you guess

where?

It’s on the tour!

panoramic view across Norwich is the Anglican Cathedral.

Turn negativity into positivity!

When the mind gets irritated, reason takes a back seat.

Great people had humble beginnings.

A dad always dreams one day his child will excel him!

Give others credit and the help they deserve, It bounces back to you.

Enthusiasm adds spice to our actions.

THOUGHTS

page 31 | Issue 32

This Issue’s Cover Pictures . . .

Do you have any stories about your private hires?Submit your contributions to:

The Editorial Office, 14 Rosedale Close, Sundon Park, LUTON, Beds, LU3 3AP, ENGLAND

Or by email: staff10@btinternet.com Or by fax/’phone: +44 (0) 1582 580159 Or via Head Office at Purfleet

…ecco alcuni scatti di novelli sposi che hanno scelto il City Sightseeing per il giorno più importante di tutta una vita: il giorno delle nozze.

E proprio per il grande giorno sempre più coppie scelgono di passare qualche ora a bordo del City Sightseeing per intrattenere i propri ospiti e per scattare le foto di rito in luoghi d’eccezionale bellezza.

Ultima moda è la voglia del popolo anglosassone di pronunciare il fatidico si proprio come in una fiaba…scegliendo un angolo di paradiso. Napoli Sorrento e Positano sono le mete più richiest

. . . show a selection of the happy couples who chose City Sightseeing to make the most important day of their life a very special day.

A wedding day is the most important day of a lifetime. For this reason more and more couples choose to spend some time on board a City Sightseeing bus entertaining their guests, with opportunities to take their photographs in a truly romantic setting with a wonderful background.

The latest fashion is for British people to say ‘Yes, I do’ as in a fairytale, coming to a corner of paradise in Italy. Napoli, Sorrento and Positano are the most requested places.

Nello e

Daniela

Guido e

Simona Imma e

Giuseppe

Stefania e

Ivana